Oregon couple buys Idaho’s Soldier Mountain Ski Area

Less than a month after being listed for sale, Soldier Mountain Ski Area has new owners.

Jim Johnston, president of the nonprofit that owned the ski area, made the announcement on the ski area’s Facebook page Wednesday. Matt and Diane McFerran of Bend, Ore., were chosen from thousands of entries received within the first 72 hours of the sale notice.

“We look forward to them joining the community and to a smooth transition and many years of skiing, boarding, and biking at Soldier!” Johnston wrote. “Stay tuned for further reports from Matt and Diane.”

The nonprofit posted on social media Oct. 15 that Soldier Mountain was for sale for $149,000 — the amount of the nonprofit’s debt. It got more than 800 inquiries in the first 24 hours and more than 2,000 inquiries within 72 hours. The nonprofit eventually stopped accepting inquiries from potential buyers because of the overwhelming response.